Improvement in siphons



2 Sheegs-Sheet 1.

W. G. RHOADS. Siphons.

No. 210,965. Patented Dec. 17,1878,

} I kg? 20 2 sheets-sheet 2. W. G. RHOADS. Siphons.

No. 210.965" Pa'tenced Dec. 17,1878.

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NJEIERS, FNOTO-LITHOGRAFNER, WASHINGTON, D. c.

anon.

WILLIAM G. RHOADS, OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA.

IMPROVEMENT lN SIPHONS.

Specification 'i'in'ining part of Letters Patent No. 210365, datedDecember 17, 1878; application filed October 12, 1878.

To all whom it may concern r Be it known that I, rLLL-mr G. Rnonns, ofthe city and county of Philadelphia, and State of Pennsylvania, haveinvented a new and useful Improvementin Siphons, of which the followingis a specification:

My invention relates to that class of siphons which are designed moreespecially for use in flushing and cleansing drain-pipes, waterclosets,sewers, &c., and for similar purposes; and its object is to produce anaction of the siphon more simply and effectively than has hitherto beendone.

It consists in connecting a trapped siphon of novel construction with atank or reservoir to be discharged by its action, in such manner as thata column of air shall be automatically confined and compressed withinthe siphon by the rise of water in the tank as it is filled, so as toproduce a ditt'erence of the fluid-level within and without itsintalring-leg when the tank is full; and in the subsequent release ofthis confined air to permit a rise of the de pressed level, and therebycharge the siphon and bring it into action.

It consists, moreover, in the combination, with the trapped siphon, ofdevices for automatically maintaining the seal in its trap by refillingthe same when it is exhausted by the discharge of the siphon, and alsoof devices for accomplishing and facilitating the release of the air atthe proper moment, as desired.

In the accompanying drawings, Figures 1 and 2 illustrate my invention inits most complete automatic form. Figs. 3 and 4 illustrate the same insimplest form. Fig. 5 illustrates the combination of an externalcharging-tank with the siphon 5 Fi 6, a modification in the combinationof vent-tube and charging-cup with the automatic siphon; and Figs. 7 andS, modifications of the invention, whereby the siphon is brought intoaction at will by hand, instead of automatically.

My improved siphon, as illustrated in Fig. 2 of the drawings, isconstructed of a pipe, D, bent into the form of atrap, E F I), havingits upper end inclosed and covered by a cap, 0. A cup, K, properlysupported near to the upper open end of the trapped pipeE D, so as toproject slightly above it. A small vent-tube, M, is connected to thebottom of said cup K, trapped by means of a suitable bend therein, andcarried and connected to the upper outer bend of the main trap E F, at apoint above its overflow-level, in such manner as that it maydischargeinto its uptakearm F.

The dotted lines 0: 3 indicate,respectively, the sealing and overflowlevels of the trap ef in the tube M, which must in all cases be soconstructed as to have a less depth of seal than the main trap E F.

The charging-cup K is made of a capacity exceeding that of the traps inthe main and venttnbes, so that its contents shall suffice to fill themboth.

The covering-cap O, which constitutes, in fact, the shorter intake-legof the siphon, may

I be supported by lugs J, serving as feet, to rest upon the bottom ofthe tank, or be otherwise secured to the siphon; and it is made toinclose the cup K, as well as the end of pipe E, suffieient space beingleft above each to permit a free flow thereinto.

A small tube, N, is inserted with a tight joint through the side of thecap (3, near its lower edge, and its two ends are bent upward within andwithout the cap C, that end which is left lowermost serving to determinethe sealing-level 00 of the siphon or level at which an escape of airfrom its intakeleg O at ordinary pressure is cut ed by an accessof waterthereto. This sealing-level so must be so adjusted with reference to thecapacity of the int-ake'legO of the siphon and of the intake side 0 ofthe trap a fin tube M as that the capacity of the intake 0 of the siphonbetween its said sealing-level a; and its overflow-level 3 shall fullyexceed the capacity of the intake side of the said trap between itssealing-level as and the customary upper level of its sealingcharge,which 1 dcnominate its charge level, and which ordinarily, although notnecessarily, will coincide with its overflowlevel n.

The trapped siphon G D,formed by the bent pipe E F D and concentric capor cover 0, is secured in place within a tank or reservoir, A, bycarrying the lower end, 1), of the dischargepipe through. the bottom ofthe tank with a water-tight joint, care being taken that the distancebetween the top of the siphon and the uppermost fluid-level of thereservoir shall be greater than the depth m y of the trap in thevent-tube M.

The successful operation of the apparatus is promoted in proportion asthe discharge-pipe D is lengthened and extended downward.

The reservoiris fed by a supply pipe, B,the

supply being regulated at pleasure by means of a cock insaid pipe.

The capacity of the siphon O D is, prefer ably, made to exceed that ofthe supply-pipe B, so as to carry oft the water and prevent an overflowof the tank when full, even should there be a full flow from said pipe.

In starting this apparatus for the first time the siphon must be flushedso as to overflow, or the traps at F and in M be otherwise filled. Whenthese traps are duly sealed the siphon is ready for action. If water benow allowed to flow into the reservoir A, it will rise on the same levelinside and outside the receiving-leg O of the siphon until it begins torun into the stop-tube N at w, and thus prevents any further escape ofair-from the siphon. The water will then cease rising inside the cover,except slowly as the waterlevel in the intake of the traps E, F, and Mbecomes depressedbecause of increasing pressure thereon, until the wateroutside the cover 0 is high enough above the water inside to force thewater out of the vent-tube M, which, because of the small diameter ofsaid tube, will be effectually and instantly accomplished so soon as thecolumn of air forced thereinto from the siphon reaches its lower bend.When this takes place the release of the air in the siphon through saidtube M will allow the water within the cover 0 to rise toward the levelof that in the reservoir, and cause such an overflow of the siphon as tostart it into action. The siphon, being 110w at work, will rapidly lowerthe water in the tank until the waterlevel, simultaneously falling inthe tube N,

passes below its bend, and, permitting an inflow of air, will thusquietly and suddenly stop the action of the siphon before its lower endis uncovered.

The water falling in the discharge-tube D will suck the water out of thetraps at M and E F but the charging-cup Kwill be left full,

and its contents, flowing through the tube M, will refill both traps andleave the siphon in condition to be again brought into action by thefilling of the reservoir, as before.

Although it will usually be more desirable to place the trap E F inclose proximity to the top of the siphon, the apparatus will operateefliciently with a suitable trap formed at any desired point in thedischarge leg or pipe of the siphon, however remote, if it be properlycharged and sealed, as set forth.

In Fig. 1, I have illustrated a modification of my invention, in which aconcentric trap is substituted for that formed by the bent pipeE F.(Shown in Fig. 2.) In this case the upper end of the discharge-pipe D isenlarged to receive .a cup, R, which rests therein upon suitablesupportin g-lu gs, with its upper edge somewhat below the upper edge ofsaid pipe D. The trap is completed by a short open-ended tube, E,supported centrally within the cup R, as shown in the drawing, by meansof an encircling flange, t, projecting from the tube E, and screwinginto the upper end of the pipe D, so as to close the same. The trappedvent-tube M passes through the side of the pipe D,near its upper end,with a tightjoint, and projects over the edge of the cup It, so as todischarge thereinto.

In determining and defining the proper proportions to be observedbetween the capacity of the intake-leg of the siphon and that of theintake of its trap when an automatic action'ot' the apparatus isrequired, any level which the water is made to assume or will naturallyas. sume within the trap after the siphon is at rest will constitutewhat I herein term its charge-level. Ordinarily the charge-level willcoincide with the overflow-level of the trap; but where a charging-cup,K, is used, as shown inFigs. 1 and 2, the volume of the sealing-fluid tobe left in the trap when the siphon is at rest, and consequently itscharge-level, will be regulated and determined by the size of said cupK, and may be fixed at a point much below that at which the trap willoverflow.

In Fig. 3, I have illustrated the simplest form of my invention whenadapted for automatic operation. It consists of a plainbent siphontube,0 D, passing, with a suitable joint, through the bottom of the tank A,and trapped by means of an upward bend, F, in its longer or dischargeleg, sothat a pneumatic seal will be produced and maintained insaid'longe'r leg by means of a charge of water retained in said bend.The capacity of the intaking-leg O of the sip halt, between its sealingand overflow levels a; 3 must be made to exceed the capacity of thereceiving or intake side E of the trap between its sealiug'level w andits chargelevel, which in this case will naturally coincide with theoverflow-level y, so that when a column of air becomes confined in thesiphon between the water in the trap and the water rising in theintake-leg of the siphon the volume of air in its intake-leg Gbelow itsoverflow-point y shall be enough greater than the volume of water thenin the receiving side E of the trap above its sealing-point x as toinsure a complete displacement of this water by the air before the waterrising in the siphon has reached the overflow-point. (See, forillustration, dotted lines within the siphon and trap in Fig. 3.)

In this, as in all proper forms of my apparatus, the hydrostaticpressure of the column of water in the uptake or discharge side F of thetrap or traps of the siphon will operate, through the intervening columnof air, to prevent the water entering the siphon from attaining thelevel of the water outside of it, and this difference of level,maintained so long as the column of air is confined in the siphon, will,when destroyed by a release of the air, operate to flush and start thesiphon.

In view of the factthat the trap E F mustbe sealed before the siphonbegins to fill, in order to insure the confinement of a suitable columnof air therein, a very small aperture, H, may be pierced in the siphon.above the trap, to communicate either directly with the reservoirA,below the sealing -level x of the siphon, as shown in Fig. 3, orotherwise, by means of a connecting-tube, H, with a separate independentreservoir, K, as shown in Fig. 5, so that a charge of water sufficientto seal the trap may invariably flow therein before it be comesessential that an escape of air from the siphon shall cease. The use ofa chargingcup, K, placed within the siphon above the trap, as shown inFigs. 1 and 2, is preferable where it is found desirable to avoid theslight waste of water which will result from a constant discharge fromthe tank A: through an aperture, H, as in Fig. 3. I

In the automatic operation of a trapped siphon constructed in simplestform, without auxiliary aiuveiit, as shown in Figs. 3 and 5, so soon asthe trap E F is supplied with sufficient water to seal it, and the waterslowly fiowin into the reservoir A. from its supplypipe B has risen farenough therein to cover the month of the siphon, the air caught betweenthe column of water rising in the siphon and the water-level in the trapis confined and gradually compressed, and serves to transmit the weightand pressure of the rising column of water in the reservoir to thecolumn of water in the intake side of the trap. As the wa' ter graduallyrises, therefore, in the reservoir, its increasing pressure graduallyforces the water out of the trap, as shown in Fig. 3, (see dottedlines,) and the displacement of the column of water in the intake sideE, by depriving the column of water in the uptake or discharge side F ofits counterbalancin g support, operates to transmit and transfer theentire weight and pressure of this uptake column of water to thewater-column in the reservoir. The level of the water in the reservoirmust therefore reach a height above the level of the water entering thesiphon greater than the height of the uptake column of water in thetrap, so as to wholly counterbalance it, before the water in the intakeside can all be forced out. So soon. as this difterence of level betweenthe column in the reservoir and that in the siphon attained, and theconfined column of air in the siphon has, in its forced advance underpressure, displaced the water in the intake side of the trap, it willbegin to passinto the uptake and be at once discharged. Its escape anddischarge at this point, and the consequent immediate diminution of itsvolume and pressure within the siphon, will permit a correspondinginflow of water from the reservoir, the which, when the water-level inthe siphon is near the overflow-point, will suffine and serve to producesuch an overflow as will bring the siphon into active play.

It will be observed that the functions of the small auxiliary vent-tubeM, employed in connection with the siphons shown in Figs. 1 and 2, foreffecting a release of the confined air to start the siphon, areperformed, in the simple automatic siphon shown in Figs. 3 and 5,directly through the siphon-tube itself.

In Fig. at a simple form of concentric siphon properly trapped, as abovedescribed, is represented, with an auxiliary vent-tube, M, connecting apoint in the intake side of the siphontrap E F slightly above itssealinglevel with the discharge-pipe at the upper bend of said trap. Thevent tnbe is, in this case, sealed in common with the main trap; but,having a less depth of seal, it will operate to suddenly discharge theair confined in the siphon before it hasreached the sealing-level oi thetrap, sub stantially as is accomplished by means of the trapped tube Min the apparatus shown in Figs. 1 and In Fig. 6 a form of my apparatusis illustrated in which an auxiliary trapped venttube, M, is carriedimmediately to the outer air at top of the tank, instead of inediatelyto the dischargepipe, as in Fig. 2, and an independent chargingcup, K,is placed directly within the upper end of the discharge-pipe, thegeneral operation of the device being similar to that of the forms ofsiphon shown in Figs. 1 and 2.

Figs. 7 and 8 illustrate siphons embodying a modification of myinvention, to permit of its being operated at will by hand, instead ofautomatically, as also by means of afloat in the reservoir. In this formof my improved apparatus the discharge-pipe of the siphon is providedwith a trap, E F, having an intake, whose capacity between its sealingand overflow levels 1: y exceeds that of the intake as y of the siphon,so as to prevent an automatic discharge of the air confined in thesiphon; but the required difference of fluidlevel within and without thesiphon having been produced by the confinement of air there in throughthe agency of the sealed trap E F of the siphon, substantially as ishereinbefore described, the release of the air-column within the siphonrequired to permita sudden rise of the water'level therein for thepurpose of bringing it into action is produced either by means of anelastic bulb, S, or other equivalent air-exhausting device to beoperated by hand, and which is connected with the venttube M,communicating with the air-space in the siphon, as shown in Fig. 7 orelse by means of a cook or avalve controlling the vent tube M, and whichmay be opened to permit an escape of the confined air either by means ofa cord or other suitable device to be open at'ed at will; or elseautomatically by means of a float and lever balanced by a weight, and

connected to the valve by a chain, so as. to suddenly lift the valvewhenever the tank becomes full, as is fully illustrated in Fig. 8

I contemplate, likewise, adapting the form of apparatus shown in 'Fig. 4for operation at will, instead of automatically and intermittently, bydispensing with the vent-tube M, deepening the trap, and so arrangingthe cap or cover 0 as that it may be lifted and dropped again atpleasure by means of any suitable mechanical device for the purposewhenever it may be desired to start the siphon after the tank is full,and a difi'erenee of level has been established within and without theintake of the siphon, as hereinbefore described.

I do not claim as new the combination, with a tank or reservoir, of atrapped siphon whose overflow-bend rises above the tank; nor yet atrapped siphon whose t ap does not admit of becoming or of remainingsealed after the flow of water through the siphon has ceased.

I claim as my invention and desire to secure by Letters Patent- 1. Thecombination of a colunin of water covering the intakii'ig-leg and bendof a siphon with a column of water in the trap of said siphon, and withan intermediate confined and compressed column of air, to produce adiffer ence of fluid-level within and without said in: taking-leg, forthe purpose of bringing the siphon into action by the release of theair, and

the consequent How of the water toward a common level, all substantiallyas herein set forth.

2. The combination, with a reservoir, of a trapped siphon having itstop'bend below the high level or'top of the reservoir, and soconstructed. as that the capacity of its intaking-leg between itssealing and overflow levels shall exceed the capacity of the intakingside of its trap between. its sealing and charge levels, substantiallyas and for the purpose herein set forth.

3. The combination, with a tapped siphon,

of an air-releasing or vent tube, substantially as and for the purposeherein set forth.

4. The combinatioi'i, with a trapped siphon, of a charging cup orreservoir, for the purpose of refilling and sealing the trap after theaction of the siphon has ceased, substantially as herein set forth.

V. G. RHOADS.

Witnesses:

WILLIAM RUDOLPH, R0131. G. LOUGHERY.

